Broadcaster and international civil servant Hugh Cholmondeley has passed away at the age of 73.
Cholmondeley had a long career here as a broadcaster and worked with several international organisations in conflict resolution and other areas.
In a statement today the Working People’s Alliance paid tribute to Cholmondeley.
It said “Guyana has lost one of her most accomplished public servants whose skills and advice on several areas of public policy will be severely missed. Although he has been ailing in recent times, his death still comes as a shock.
“Cholmondeley will be best remembered as a pioneer of radio broadcasting in post-independent Guyana. As broadcaster and general manager of the then Guyana Broadcasting Corporation, he was instrumental in injecting a nationalist outlook to radio broadcasting while maintaining a strong sense of professionalism. Many of the broadcasters of the period credit him with having a strong influence on their professional development. He would later make his skills available to several local, regional and international agencies as media specialist, diplomat and public servant.
“It may not be common knowledge that Brother Hugh was a committed advocate of National Reconciliation and Ethnic Unity and worked tirelessly, mostly behind the scenes, to advance the process. He was appointed by CARICOM to act as facilitator in the negotiations that resulted in the Herdmanston Accord of 1998 and devoted much of his time and energy in pursuit of that national solution that continues to elude us.
“WPA extends its condolences to his wife, children and other sorrowing relatives.”
